John Gibson: Cut out mistakes or Man City will punish Newcastle

Newcastle United will need to perform better than at Wigan and Swansea if they are to get anything at the Eithad

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Let us pause to reflect. Newcastle’s last two Premier League away excursions to Swansea and Wigan appeared infinitely winnable.

Yet the Mags lost them both which leaves us precisely where when it comes to visiting the mercenaries of Manchester City tomorrow afternoon?

If Wigan had the worst home record within all four divisions on the day United turned up on their doorstep then City, despite their season of under-achieving, have lost but once on their own battleground – and they have a great need to apease restless natives.

The horrific tackle on the left leg of Massadio Haidara by a reckless Callum McManaman naturally took centre attention and to a great extent the Wigan result was forgotten in the torrent of indignation.

However, the reality is that United lost to a team third bottom of the division regardless of the ineptitude of the three match officials and for that reason we’re still talking about a fear of relegation.

Swansea and Wigan were bad results for a much stronger United squad that has at home and in Europe proved a refreshing change from the grind of the first half of the season.

However, facts are facts and there is still work to be done.

Manchester United may well have heaped unease upon their neighbours but City unquestionably remain a formidable challenge tomorrow.

The Magpies can never match them man for man, pound notes have seen to that, but perhaps if City are not given the encouragement of an early goal then their suspect team spirit may show cracks in front of an increasingly restless crowd. That is where United can more than out-punch them.

There is much rumour of a bail-out at City with Roberto Mancini and Yaya Toure supposedly leading the rush for the exit, but history hasn’t been kind to Newcastle at the Etihad and it would be foolish to rely on the blues merely rolling over and playing pussycats.

Bottom line is that they have won 10 of 14 home matches in the Premier League (drawing another three) while United have only won once away.

The Magpies have to cut out the defensive mistakes which contributed so much to defeat at Wigan while still trying to produce a genuine cutting edge up top, because playing an hour and a half for a 0-0 draw would inevitably prove disastrous.

United have not conceded a solitary single goal in their last FOUR Europa League games against Metalist Kharkiv and Anzhi Makhachkala home and away, but that is a different sort of football, more technical and less of the helter skelter hounding of players that happens in domestic football.

Scoring a goal from a set-piece would also be a good start.

Not a direct Yohan Cabaye effort but a ball played into the box from a corner or a free-kick round the box. Goals like that have been as scarce as a desert snowstorm which is something of an embarrassment.

It’ll be tough all right come 3pm tomorrow. Mightily so but not impossible.

Both teams have much to confirm – United that they are potential top tenners (next season if not this) and City that all ambition has not been sucked out of them.